Out With the Old, In With the New: Part II, Step 6

Out With the Old, In With the New: Part II, Step 6

Old: MAKE LOTS OF TURNS IN POWDER STU: To make good powder turns on regular shaped skis, or even mid-fats, you need to set up a steady rhythm. Turns have a short to medium radius. Push your feet down into the snow to compress it beneath the ski bases (1), then let the skis rebound and "porpoise" toward the next turn (2). Keep your feet together (so both skis work as one) and avoid putting more weight on your outside ski (3). It's not necessary to carve. Make patient, round turns, staying in the fall line. Ready hands and a good pole plant keep you facing downhill (4). Start a new turn right away (5). Trying to cross a powder slope too much gets you into trouble.

New: MAKE BIG TURNS IN POWDER MIKE: Fat powder skis, which float nearer the snow's surface, make powder comfortable for many more skiers. The added width allows turns to be skied more like groomed runs. Take advantage of this, and be patient throughout the turn. You have to stay balanced of course, but you can make bigger, rounder turns (A) and control speed by completing each turn out of the fall line (B-D). Judges at the World Powder 8 Championships in British Columbia have noticed changes among the world's best powder skiers. Where several years ago they might have made 100 turns in a given run, they now make 25-at much greater speeds.